Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,891 per month in Medicine Hat vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,809 per month in Medicine Hat vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,726 per month in Medicine Hat vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Medicine Hat is about 9% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medicine Hat and Montreal sit above the global median – Medicine Hat by 42%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.31 CA$21.55

$16.52 CA$23.24

-7.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 CA$97.4

$74.0 CA$104

-6.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 CA$11.65

$10.94 CA$15.40

-24.31%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.47

$3.84 CA$5.41

1.30%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.77

$2.14 CA$3.01

-7.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.44

$1.45 CA$2.04

19.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$6.13 CA$8.63

-15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 CA$5.44

$6.73 CA$9.47

-42.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CA$2.11

$2.35 CA$3.31

-36.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 CA$2.66

$3.34 CA$4.69

-43.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$3.74 CA$5.27

-10.70%

Eggs

$3.29 CA$4.63

$3.39 CA$4.77

-2.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 CA$11.54

$16.30 CA$22.93

-49.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 CA$15.68

$11.81 CA$16.62

-5.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.52 CA$19.02

$15.64 CA$22.01

-13.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.26

$3.69 CA$5.20

1.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.70 CA$2.39

-22.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$4.11 CA$5.79

-39.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.64

$4.41 CA$6.20

-25.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$2.79 CA$3.93

-48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.19

$2.64 CA$3.72

-40.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$2.29 CA$3.22

19.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.27

$1.78 CA$2.51

-9.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.82 CA$16.63

$13.17 CA$18.53

-10.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 CA$18.10

$10.64 CA$14.97

20.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$2.99 CA$4.20

-14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.14

$3.44 CA$4.83

6.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.28

$2.81 CA$3.95

-17.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 CA$72.5

$72.8 CA$102

-29.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.82

$3.52 CA$4.95

-2.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.92

$1.45 CA$2.05

-5.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.83 CA$40.57

$34.29 CA$48.26

-15.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 CA$1.42

$1.22 CA$1.72

-17.21%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.8K CA$34.9K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-1.80%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.6K CA$30.5K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-2.22%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$215 CA$302

$76.5 CA$108

180.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$40.79 CA$57.4

$35.60 CA$50.1

14.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$83.0

$42.96 CA$60.5

37.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 CA$80.4

$43.39 CA$61.1

31.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.79 CA$51.8

$16.83 CA$23.68

118.60%

Cinema Ticket

$12.51 CA$17.60

$11.09 CA$15.60

12.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$883 CA$1,243

$625 CA$879

41.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.5K

$5,896 CA$8,296

171.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 CA$73.2

$63.1 CA$88.8

-17.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.27 CA$38.37

$44.50 CA$62.6

-38.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 CA$99.1

$103 CA$145

-31.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 CA$97.6

$118 CA$166

-41.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 CA$1,167

$1,207 CA$1,699

-31.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 CA$1,045

$965 CA$1,358

-23.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 CA$1,941

$2,031 CA$2,858

-32.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 CA$1,695

$1,577 CA$2,219

-23.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,315 CA$1,851

$5,085 CA$7,155

-74.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,914 CA$2,693

$3,783 CA$5,324

-49.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,948 CA$4,148

$2,890 CA$4,066

2.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.01

13.97%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medicine Hat: July 13, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Medicine Hat versus $1,207 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Medicine Hat, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Medicine Hat versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $395 – making Medicine Hat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medicine Hat vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 10% more than Medicine Hat, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,837 per month in Medicine Hat and $3,127 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medicine Hat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,891 in Medicine Hat and $2,085 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Medicine Hat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Medicine Hat, where all-in costs run around $1,891, than in Montreal at $2,085. In Medicine Hat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medicine Hat costs $1,891 versus $2,085 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medicine Hat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.